An Encounter With Fate
by boredomstrikes
Summary: Kikyo was everything that Kagome wasnt, Pretty, popular and loved. For eighteen years, Kagome endured her sister and her family before leaving them forever. Fleeing to Sengoku Jidai, she never expected to find friends, a Family, and herself along the way.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: New fic!!! Woooo!!! Just wanna let you guys know, this story is AU, because even though it seems like our present time and place, its really different at some points (you'll just have to see how). Oh, and to darkangel, Kelly is superiorpaperclip and one of my bestest friends. The pink and fluffy thing is an inside joke. Oh yeah, you should go read her story. After mine ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: *sigh* don't own inuyasha. *tear*  
  
An Encounter With Fate  
  
Chapter 1 – Running Away  
  
Kagome sighed glumly as she stared out the window with the same feeling at the dark night sky. 'Grandma,' she thought before feeling the familiar sting of tears in her eyes. Her Grandmother's passing, but the pain was still there. Fresh as it had been six months ago when she passed. She doubted anyone noticed how sad and depressed she was.  
No one really noticed her. It was all about her twin sister, Kikyo. She got all the attention, along with all the love. Well, maybe not all of it, since they sometimes paid attention to Kagome. Like birthdays and Christmas (the only reason they probably remembered her is because her birthday is the same as Kikyo's and Christmas, is Christmas). And because there was still Souta to think about, so maybe not all of it, but a vast majority of it.  
Her grandmother was the only one who actually paid attention to her. She guessed it was mostly because they shared a room and that her grandmother was home most of the time. She was home a lot with her grandmother, too. This was because whenever the family went out, they'd never really bring Kagome along. They always left her with her grandmother. So naturally they grew close. Another reason why Kagome suspected that her family knew about her was because of her grandmother.  
And now that her grandmother had passed, she was afraid that her family would forget about her all together. But not so much. She had never really loved nor loathed her family other than her grandmother. But now she was eighteen and a graduate from the top high school in Tokyo. And of course, her sister was eighteen and a graduate from Takahashi High, so Kikyo was going to have a grand party. With all 300 of her closest friends, not to mention there was still the family. And that the graduation party was a joint-party between their birthday party. Of course, the banner would read, "Congrats and Happy Birthday Kikyo" It might've been different if her grandmother was there to help, it might've actually had her name in it, but not anymore.  
That's what helped her decide. Tomorrow, she'd leave. She was going to run away. It sounded childish, but she didn't think anyone would notice. She was packing some of the final things she would need. But for, now sleep would suffice.  
  
=*=  
Kagome woke before the crack of dawn. She always woke up at this time. She went to (A/N: this school is made up, I think, and I don't know where Kagome lives, so I'm making it up. So don't quote me on this) Tokyo Central College Prepatory Academy for Young Men and Women in downtown Tokyo. Since she lived on the outskirts of Tokyo, going there was no easy task.  
Even when she had gone to the same school as Kikyo, she'd always get up early because she wouldn't be able to take a shower unless she woke up before her. So she was used to this time. As she stepped into the shower and let the nice warm water flow down her body, she took the time to repeat the plan in her head. She'd bring everything she needed to school, and never come back. She'd go somewhere far away, get a job (hopefully), take the entrance exams to a college (probably getting a scholarship in the process) and attend there to continue on with her life.  
She knew how to defend herself; she had money saved from all eighteen years of her life, plus the three hundred she got as birthday/graduation money, and the rest that was in her account. She had a car (which would be traded in or just sold so no one would use that to find her), she had clothes, and knew how to cover her tracks and avoid anyone tracking her. She knew how to make herself look like a boy so that no one would actually have a real reason to go after her. She knew how to get water if there was none, how to forage for food and everything. She had learned all of this in school.  
Kagome did find it a bit strange that school taught all this stuff, but they were a prepatory school, preparing you for anything. Plus she went to private school, since she earned a full scholarship there (as if her parents would pay the yearly $20,000 fee). Plus they offered survival training courses over the summer (which she took), apothecary courses (which she took), self defense and martial arts courses (which she took), basic weaponry (which she took) and she had archery outside of school on top of it. She knew how to get along just fine. Plus, she had all the book knowledge that she learned in regular school classes. Biology, psychology, astronomy, calculus, and some other courses she took. She was actually named in school, the over-achiever. She didn't care. It didn't matter, since it was to try and get someone to notice her, plus she enjoyed it and a lot of it was easy or came natural to her. So she got straight A's in everything, got the highest test grades, passed with flying colors, top of her class. It was a well-known fact that no one liked her because of it. It wasn't her fault that she was born this way.  
When she compared herself to Kikyo, man was it different! Kikyo was pretty, popular, relatively smart (at Takahashi High, anyway), athletic, wanted, and loved. Whereas Kagome was lonely, ugly (in her thoughts anyway), athletic (although she didn't show it as much as Kikyo did), unwanted and unloved. She never really minded it till she was completely ignored. So as she stepped from the shower, she hoped that everything would go as planned.  
  
=*=  
  
All her stuff was ready. This was the last time she would ever be Kagome Higurashi. She would be Kiyoshi Takara. She gathered her things. They were her book bag (which was being left at school), a bag of clothes, a book on edible plants and animals, her money, a few days rations of bread and water, a blanket, some other important items (matches, maps etc.) and her weapons and armaments. Before she left, she eyed a picture on her cabinet. It was of her family. Her mother, her father, her grandfather, her grandmother, Kikyo and Souta. She wasn't there. She was taking the picture. But still, it was a reminder of who she was and what she left behind. So taking the picture out of the frame, she carefully slipped it into the pocket of the journal book she brought along.  
Walking past the rooms of sleeping people, down the stairs, through the kitchen. There stood a girl, a young woman, bags and keys with her. Looking back a bit nostalgically, she left what was once her home behind forever.  
  
A/N: sorry it's kinda short. Have to go watch Inuyasha on Adult Swim now. REVIEW!!!! ^_^ 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: chapter 2...have fun!!  
  
Disclaimer: if you don't own Inuyasha, I don't.  
  
An Encounter With Fate  
  
Chapter 2 – The Ginhaya's  
  
Last Time:  
Walking past the rooms of sleeping people, down the stairs, through the kitchen. There stood a girl, a young woman, bags and keys with her. Looking back a bit nostalgically, she left what was once her home behind forever. =*=  
Kagome threw everything into her car as she departed for school. It was a nice Honda Civic Coupe, with a CD player and a six CD changer. She had a sound system that rivaled the price of the car, a JDM body, kit, and white seventeen-inch rims. All her seats were suede, and the driver and passenger sides had bucket seats. She had a customized dashboard, and she had Toyo tires. A supercharger and white neons were among the rest of the things she had in her car that she could actually name. A guy she had tutored worked at an auto shop that customized cars and repaired street racing cars. They customized her car for free, since what they did almost doubled what her car was actually worth, in exchange for keeping his grades up. Which was no easy task at Tokyo Central. (A/N: thanks to my bros, Angelo and Josh, for the car stuff. ^_^)  
She was going to regret leaving it somewhere. She considered not leaving it for a while, but a car like this was very conspicuous in the area she was going to. So maybe she could get a car like this one when she had enough money to buy one as Kiyoshi Takara.  
Kagome drove down the virtually empty highway as the skyscrapers of Tokyo grew larger and larger on the horizon. =*=  
"Come down here!" a voice yelled.  
"Fuck off, Miroku!" Inuyasha responded.  
Miroku seemed unfazed by the rude order of the hanyou. "Your father and mother are arriving home soon. You should be there to greet them," adding as an afterthought, "Taking a bath before so."  
"Keh!" was Inuyasha's response.  
"Don't make me get Sango out here," Miroku threatened. It was a threat not to be taken lightly. Sango was one of the maids in the Ginhaya household. She was also a demon exterminator, although the Ginhaya household was a demonic one. She was hired especially to keep the youngest child of the Lord in line. And she was quite good at it.  
"Geez, do ya hafta get Sango out here every time?" he said while jumping down effortlessly from his ten foot high perch in the tree. "Can't you do anything?"  
"I would've thought that that was obvious," Miroku said. "Against you anyway, Inuyasha." He and Sango were the only ones other than his family that were brave, or stupid, enough to call him by his first name. Inuyasha really didn't mind, since he really didn't like people calling him by his 'title' all the time. It was really annoying when everyone always called you 'my lord', or 'sir' or something like that. No one called him by his first name outside his family and Sango and Miroku. It was mostly because his father ordered everyone in the household to call him that, and most feared the wrath of Lord Inutaisho. But Sango and Miroku knew that he really wouldn't do anything unless Inuyasha had a problem with it.  
Neither said anything as the walked toward the house. The house was actually more like a mansion, or a palace. Most people called it a castle. It was a typical Shogun's castle. Green roof tiles graced the tops of the buildings, flaring up at the ends; some with ornaments adorned the ends of some of the rooftops. High white walls with red torch posts and a few with golden plated gates surrounded the castle grounds.  
The gardens they passed through were something of a legend in the land. It was filled with some of the most rare and exotic plants. Cherry trees lined the walkways and paths of the gardens. There were several ponds, a few filled with coy, streams and mini waterfalls. Birds sang as they flew from tree to tree. But neither Inuyasha nor Miroku noticed any of these things. It wasn't that they didn't think that the gardens were beautiful, it was mostly just that they were in a rush. The other portion of the reason was that they've walked through the gardens millions of times, both spending the majority of their lives in the castle. As they walked past the final waterfall, reached the end of the cherry trees, they entered the house through the backdoor. They didn't want to go through the doors that led to the ballroom, nor did they want to go through the ornate gold gates that served as the main entryway into the garden. Walking through the door, the moved past the swarms of people, hustling and bustling around like little bees to finish the preparations for the return of the Lord Inutaisho and Lady Rumiko. Inuyasha and Miroku went practically unnoticed in the kitchens; no one really paid any attention to them. It wasn't a strange sight to see them in the kitchens, nor was it strange that they stole food when they got the chance. As they exited the kitchens, made their way through the endless maze of hallways, Miroku left Inuyasha to his bath as he left for his. Soon, both were clean and changed. Inuyasha was now dressed in his formal haori; the one he usually wore was dirty. Miroku had done the same and was now in his formal monk wear, not the usually everyday one he wore. Not too long after, Inuyasha's parents arrived at the front gates. They stepped out and greeted the welcoming party. "Hello mother," Inuyasha said, giving his mother a hug. "Hello father," giving his a handshake instead. "Good morning, Lady Rumiko, Lord Inutaisho." Miroku said, bowing to both. "Father, Step-mother," Sesshomaru, who had been waiting with the two, said. "Hello everyone!" Lady Rumiko said cheerfully. "Have fun while we were away?" Lord Inutiasho said. The three nodded mechanically. "Good! Is there food? I'm starved!" and with that, the group went inside for lunch.  
  
A/N: okay! Chapter 2!! To be honest, I have writer's block right now. I know what I want to happen, it's just that I don't know how to get to that point. So please bear with me. ^_^; So! With that out of the way, I have some things you should know.  
  
I don't know the name of Inuyasha's dad, or mom. I think that I got his father's name right, but his mother's name I made up. I am not sure of the Japanese nobility system, so I don't know what their titles would be. Their probably gonna end up with titles that aren't Japanese, so if anyone knows the nobility system, please contact me or whatever and tell me!!! I think Inuyasha's dad will be a Shogun. REVIEW!!!! If I don't get at least five more, I might decide not to update. 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Chapter 3!!!! Ok, my writer's block is still here. ~_~ but never fear! I feel it coming to an end!!!! ^_^ oh yes, and to Kagome_Luvz_Inuyasha, you'll find out what time Inuyasha lives in, and why this story is AU, in this chapter. And also that you haven't updated yet. You still have yet to update, and it's your turn.  
  
Disclaimer: still don't own Inuyasha. Don't worry, I'm working on my master plan to get the rights to him. Of course, I can't tell you, it's a secret ^_^  
  
An Encounter With Fate  
  
Chapter 3 – Free at Last  
  
Last Time: "Hello mother," Inuyasha said, giving his mother a hug. "Hello father," giving his a handshake instead. "Good morning, Lady Rumiko, Lord Inutaisho." Miroku said, bowing to both. "Father, Step-mother," Sesshomaru, who had been waiting with the two, said. "Hello everyone!" Lady Rumiko said cheerfully. "Have fun while we were away?" Lord Inutiasho said. The three nodded mechanically. "Good! Is there food? I'm starved!" and with that, the group went inside for lunch.  
  
=*=  
  
Kagome emptied parked her car in her usual spot as she went inside for school. Today wasn't really a school day; it was for clubs to keep everything before the next school year, and for students to clean out their lockers. It was also for the graduating class to say their last good-byes.  
She went through the school that she had been to for four years to her locker. It was nothing special, it was full of schedules, reminders and post-it notes. There were a few pictures, nothing really special. She found a few books in her locker that she thought she'd lost, the majority of her CD collection, her school jacket. When she finished, she helped clean up a few of the clubrooms. She belonged to the kyudo club, MENSA Jr., the young investors club, the young people's United Nations, The Honors Society and so on. She also had to take her picture with her diploma and sign her name for the trophy cabinet. All graduating Valedictorians had to.  
It was about noon when she finished. Almost all the students left at that time. Most were going in groups to movies, parks, places to eat etc. Kagome said her final good byes to her fellow classmates, including a few she might have called friends, before departing.  
She stood still next to her car. With the door open, she was about to duck in and enter the car. But she paused and looked at the school before doing so. Again she felt the tug of nostalgia deep in her chest before she moved on and got into the car and left.  
  
=*=  
  
Kagome sped down the highway at an incredible speed. Her windows were rolled down, and taking full advantage of her sound system and six CD changer, she blasted the music of Greenday (A/N: they rock my socks ^_^) and sang along as she drove. No one ever used this section of the highway. Nevertheless, they kept it here for diplomatic and political reasons.  
No one ever used this section of the highway because no one ever went to the part of the country she was going to. It wasn't exactly at the top of everyone's to-do-list to go to Sengoku Jidai. No one even really knew about Sengoku Jidai, most people thought of that part of the country as a completely different island than Japan. The reason why was a bit complicated. In the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Japan was going through a revolution. The government didn't want any foreign influence on their country, and tried to keep them out. Try as they might, they couldn't do that without starting a rebellion in their own country. So a rebellion began. At the time, the lands were ruled by four powerful demons. Although most people would like to think a human government ran the country, it was the demon Lords who were the real power holders. The country was divided into four parts. The North, East, South, and Western lands. One demon overlord ruled over one section of the country, and the four ran the country together. As you can guess, the demons weren't exactly on the friendliest terms. Especially at the time of the rebellion. Most of the time, they got along pretty well, but the rebellion caused the four demons to be spilt in two. The Northern and Eastern lands wanted to revolutionize and develop, while the Southern and Eastern lands wanted to stay traditionalist. The government that presided in those lands went along with the idea. After much strife, and bloodshed on the part of the humans, it was decided that they would not remain one country. The Southern and Western domains split off and became Sengoku Jidai, with the demon lords officiating over their domains, and running their own individual country. The Northern and Eastern lands remained Japan and have become the country they know today. They thought that Sengoku Jidai wouldn't last. But they were wrong because unlike their forebears, Sengoku Jidai didn't resist foreign influence. They allowed people to come to Sengoku Jidai and everything, they just put strict laws on the people. Most people didn't like Sengoku Jidai, they found crude and primitive. But to a select few, it was an escape from the world. The air there was cleaner, they didn't use gasoline like the rest of the world. The people of Sengoku Jidai weren't allowed the modern conveniences that the foreigners had. Although there were a few exceptions, such as pasteurizing, immunizations and some other conveniences that would help increase the longevity of the people. Though it was a shame that most countries didn't know Sengoku Jidai wasn't part of Japan. Especially since Hiroshima and Nagasaki were in Sengoku Jidai, a few modern conveniences such as telephones and the press would've helped so that they weren't bombed. This was exactly why Kagome wanted to go there. In Sengoku Jidai, there were no advanced tracking systems. No Amber Alerts and what not. No advanced communication where you could talk to someone three miles away as if they were next to you. Just plain and simple. After a lunch break, and five more CDs, (around 3 o'clock) the highway became more uneven and less paved. There were more potholes, ruts, rocks and bumps. Soon there was a dirty sign. The bright fluorescent green with white lettering was hard to read. She could just make out the words, "You Are Now Leaving Japan" and under it read, "Come Back Soon". As she continued down the road, which continued to become even less paved and more rocky, she saw a sign which read, "You Are Now Entering Sengoku Jidai" and under those words were, "Welcome to Sengoku Jidai. Enjoy your stay!" Kagome was now glad for those classes she took in archaic Japanese. When she saw this sign, she decided to drive back up the road. When the road was paved once more, she stopped the car. She got out and retrieved her things. When she had all her things, she deposited them on the side of the road and got back into the car. She directed the car in the direction of the side of the road. She planned to run the car into the ditch, but she didn't want to be in the car, so she got out. Saying to the air, or to the car, whichever you prefer, she said, "Sorry I gotta do this." And with that she placed a heavy rock she found at the side of the road onto the acceleration pedal. The car quickly gained speed, and crashed down into the side of the road. The road was on the top of an incline, so the car began to roll down the hill, and met the forest. It crashed into a large tree and landed on the driver's side. Kagome didn't want to see her beautiful car get trashed, so she closed her eyes and waited on the side of the road. When she surveyed the damage after she heard a sickening crash of metal against wood, it was not a pretty sight. There were a few scraps of metal were the car met the rocky hillside, the rear tire on the side where the car landed was missing and there was a small fire burning near the car. Right now, she was really glad that she wasn't in the car.  
  
*^*  
  
A/N: just wanna let you know, =*= is my new scene break. I was too lazy to do the ***************************************************** thing so I just changed it to something nice and simple. And ^*^ is the symbol that means end of chapter. Also, I know I sort left it hanging, but I don't want this chapter to be too long. So I'm breaking off part of chapter three and making it chapter 4, which I am currently writing and should be up soon. While waiting, why don't you go review? It might make my muses work faster. ^_^ Oh, and also for those who have read A New Adventure by Superiorpaperclip, I just want to let you know, I'm her friend (Angelica) in the A/N's. I want to apologize for her irrational behavior ^_~ lol. Winky. And if you haven't, you should read her stories, It All Ends for Reasons and its sequel A New Adventure, they're awesome!!!! ^_^ 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Chapter 4!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: insert disclaimer from previous chapter  
  
An Encounter With Fate  
  
Chapter 4 – Free At Last  
  
Last Time: And with that she placed a heavy rock she found at the side of the road onto the acceleration pedal. The car quickly gained speed, and crashed down into the side of the road. The road was on the top of an incline, so the car began to roll down the hill, and met the forest. It crashed into a large tree and landed on the driver's side. Kagome didn't want to see her beautiful car get trashed, so she closed her eyes and waited on the side of the road. When she surveyed the damage after she heard a sickening crash of metal against wood, it was not a pretty sight. There were a few scraps of metal were the car met the rocky hillside, the rear tire on the side where the car landed was missing and there was a small fire burning near the car. Right now, she was really glad that she wasn't in the car.  
  
=*=  
  
Kagome looked back at the car one last time before walking off into the woods. Towards Sengoku Jidai, of course. She went into the woods well away from the site of her wrecked car. Once she passed the sign, and felt that she was far enough into the woods, she decided to change.  
Currently she was wearing a pair of denim short shorts and a white T- shirt that had short red sleeves on it. opening one of the bags she had, she removed the clothes she brought along to change into. They were some ratty peasant clothes; a simple pair of tough pants, a loose shirt, a vest, a cloak and a cap. She also had a strong but cheap pair of boots. She didn't have the heart to buy Sengoku Jidai undergarments, so she just wore her regular ones, except she used a chest wrap, which would hopefully hide her breasts since she was going to be dressing up as a man. 'Damn puberty' she thought as she strapped some of her weapons on. The last, and most expensive, thing she removed was a bottle of something that would hide her scent. She knew that there were going to be demons all over the place, and a lot of them had enhanced senses and could tell a man from a woman by their scent. So she bought the special perfume and learned how to make it in case she needed to. Hopefully it would work. Before putting her cap and cloak on, she took her hair into her hand. It was long, longer than Kikyo's. unbound, as it was now, it reached all the way down her back, already creeping down and reaching her thighs. She took it in left hand, and with her right, poised her dagger so that it would cut her hair. But she couldn't. 'Damn the nostalgia and sentimentality.' She sighed. She supposed it would just have to be another reminder of who she was and where she came from. So instead of cutting all of it off, she cut it just enough so that it only reached her lower back and braided back fiercely. Finally, she put her cloak on along with her quiver of arrows and pack. Checking all her weapons, her short swords and daggers under her cloak, her arrows and her bow, and making sure that she had everything she brought, she departed. Night was quickly falling now. It had been several hours since she had totaled her car and left Japan behind. The sky was a palette of colors. The sun was now low in the west, bringing colors of gold, crimson, rose and orange out. In the trail of those colors, came the subtler darker tones. First came purple, then violet, then blue, then finally a black. A reminder of the impending night, already with a few sparkling stars in it. Thankfully, Kagome came across a river. It wasn't very wide, but it was a place to stay nonetheless. The space where the river met the forest wasn't very wide, but it would be enough for Kagome. She gratefully started to set up camp on the shores of the river. She had started to gather firewood when she was walking, so she had some wood to start with, and hopefully wouldn't have to go too far too find some good firewood. Setting her stuff down, including the firewood she had already gathered, she went to find some more. When she returned with armfuls of firewood, twilight had come and would soon be gone. Dumping the load onto the ground, she began to start her fire. There were a few remnants of light left, like the hand of day was struggling to keep hold to the earth. Kagome took this opportunity to look at herself in the river.  
'I look like a stick,' was all she could think of. In truth, she really did look like a stick. She wasn't as curvaceous as Kikyo when she was a girl, but she looked like a stick now. Actually, she looked like herself at ten or twelve. Except now she was a lot taller, had much longer hair, and was missing the glasses, braces and acne. She could probably pass off for a skinny, pale runaway boy who was too lazy to cut his hair. She shrugged a bit and pulled her cap on tighter before going to start her dinner.  
  
=*=  
  
Lunch was going pleasantly enough. The Lord and Lady spoke of their trip, nothing really unusual. Same old, same old. Everything passed normally until Lord Inutaisho spoke up.  
He set down his glass at a point where everyone was almost finished eating and had nothing left to say. "I have some more news for you. Especially for you, Inuyasha."  
Inuyasha's head snapped up at the mention of his name. "What is it father?"  
"How old are you now?" he asked.  
"I turned," he paused to think, and he counted a bit on his fingers. "594, last year. I think. Around that area. Why?"  
"Hmm... almost 600, eh?" he paused. "I think its time."  
Inuyasha cocked his head to the side in a questioning sort of way. "Time? What time?"  
His father laced his fingers and placed his elbows on the table and leaned in. it was almost like he was telling them a secret. "It is a tradition in our family to send out our sons to see what the real world is like. Your grandfather went through with it, I went through with it, and Sesshomaru went through with it."  
"And how exactly am I to see the real world, father?" he didn't know what to feel about what he was being told.  
"I'm going to send you out. You're going to travel around the lands, get a feel for them, so to speak."  
"By myself?" he was starting to like how this was sounding.  
"Well, not entirely. I was planning to send out Miroku and Sango with you."  
"What?" Miroku said. So far, everyone had just sat complacently at the table, listening to the small exchange between father and son.  
"It's part of your job, Miroku. Someone is chosen to do this. I had Toutousai, Sesshomaru had Jaken." Inutaisho replied.  
"But why Sango?" Inuyasha asked.  
"Because someone needs to keep you in line." His mother said in a matter-of-factly voice. Miroku and Inuyasha 'ohed' in affirmation that they understood what she had said.  
"In any case," Inutaisho continued a slight smile on his face at the bluntness of his wife to his son and his friend. "You're probably leaving tomorrow."  
"Does Sango know about this?" Inuyasha said.  
"Of course! We're demons, not barbarians." Inutaisho replied.  
"Besides, it would be cruel to Sango to make her go with you without letting her know first." Rumiko said. This time, Inutaisho smiled openly at his wife.  
"So!" Inutaisho said, rising and clapping his hands together. "You should get ready for tomorrow. "  
  
=*=  
  
Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku stood at the castle gates. They were dressed in travel wear. Miroku in his traditional monk's robes; Sango wearing a pink and green kimono over her demon-exterminating outfit with Hiraikotsu strapped to her back; Inuyasha in his ratty old traveling fire rat haori. All were rubbing their eyes and yawning, the Lord made them wake up at the crack of dawn.  
A big yawn covered Miroku's face. "Why so early?!" he said with another yawn appearing on his face when he said early.  
"How should I know?" Sango said while rubbing sleep from her eyes. "He's Inuyasha's father, not mine."  
"Keh!" Inuyasha said as another yawn crossed his face. "Don't ask me, he didn't even tell me about this huge, big, important trip that will supposedly change my life until yesterday."  
Before the three could go on complaining, a cloud of dust came rushing at them. It was Toutousai on his three-eyed cow. "Well!" he said in a dry shaky, voice. "Let's get going!"  
"Wha-? I thought only Sango and Miroku were coming with me?" Inuyasha questioned.  
"I'm not taking the whole trip with you. Just bringing you to the closest village. I wouldn't want to get stuck with you anyway." Toutousai replied. He was bonked on the head with Inuyasha's fist for that one. He decided using the Tetsuiaga, which was a gift from his father, on something he wasn't even gonna kill.  
The three started walking down the path, leaving Toutousai to regain consciousness at the gates.  
  
*^*  
  
A/N: yay! Chapter 4!!! Oh yes, I have something to tell all of you.  
  
On behalf of Kelly/Superiorpaperclip, I would like to apologize for yesterday's/third chapter of A New Adventure's umm...WINKY ^_~ umm...spasm. Don't worry. Kelly/ SP is staying in the nice white room with the padded walls and blue bunnies while they fix her medication. She is currently writing chapter four when she's not playing with the blue bunnies. Anyway.....  
  
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: chapter 5! Chapter 5! Oh yes. I must warn you. This is the chapter where Kagome officially becomes Kiyoshi. So I'm gonna start referring to her as he now, okay? Please note, Kiyoshi is a masculine name.  
  
Disclaimer: don't own Inuyasha. In fact, I don't even own that many Inuyasha products. So you get the point.  
  
An Encounter With Fate  
  
Chapter 5 – Hello  
  
Last Time:  
"I'm not taking the whole trip with you. Just bringing you to the closest village. I wouldn't want to get stuck with you anyway." Toutousai replied. He was bonked on the head with Inuyasha's fist for that one. He decided using the Tetsuiaga, which was a gift from his father, on something he wasn't even gonna kill.  
The three started walking down the path, leaving Toutousai to regain consciousness at the gates.  
  
==  
  
They continued on down the path that led from the castle down to the main roads. Soon, Toutousai regained consciousness and joined the three travelers on his three-eyed cow. He led the three travelers down the paths and through the roads, getting stares from several people. After all, a man on a three-eyed cow, a young man with dog ears, white hair and gold eyes, a young woman with a giant boomerang on her back, and a monk traveling together wasn't exactly the most inconspicuous of groups.  
It was no better when they reached the village. In fact, it was actually worse. For one, Inuyasha had virtually never come into contact with any human or intelligent beings other than his family. He barely left the castle grounds, and when he did, he was off hunting or training or something. Everything was new to him. The smells, the sounds the sights, everything was new. Although he was 594, 18 in human years, he was more like a curious puppy. Wanting to go investigate, prod, poke and smell everything.  
It was more than likely worse with Miroku. He had been to the village before, but he was under strict supervision then. Now however, he was as free as to what he wanted. And that was very bad news, especially for young women in the village. Every chance he got, he either a) asked them to bear his child, b) try and grope them or everyone's favorite c) groped them and then ask to bear his child. He left that village with several bumps, bruises, and red handprints, some of which Sango did out of disgust (or jealousy, whichever you prefer).  
Soon after they left the village, Toutousai left as well. He said to them before leaving, "I'll be leaving now. Good luck. And don't die. Though it might actually be useful if you became that Inuyasha." And with that happy note, he sped off on his three eyed cow, more than likely to be because Inuyasha started to go after him with his fist, only to be stopped by Miroku and Sango who were trying their best not to laugh at the same time. When Inuyasha calmed down, the three set off to "experience the real world". Apparently, there isn't much in the real world. There really wasn't much to see since all the paths were lined with lush forest. And just lush forest. After awhile of traveling down the path with monotonous scenery, Inuyasha cried out, "Kami! Is there nothing in these lands?!" "That's not true, there are very beautiful women in these lands," Miroku said. Sango shot him a look and said, "And many good people. Women and men." "But I don't see anything!" he screamed. "How in the seven hells are we supposed to 'experience the real world' if there's nothing to experience?!" "Now Inuyasha-" Miroku said. He knew exactly what was coming. "It's so boring! There isn't anything! Why did we have to go on this trip? This trip is so dumb!" Inuyasha yelled out. Sango sighed. She really wished she didn't have to do this so early in the trip. She brought out Hiraikotsu and threw it at Inuyasha. He got hit and a large bump appeared on his head, interrupting his ranting about the injustices of this trip. He fell to the ground and Sango and Miroku continued down the path, leaving a swirly-eyed, unconscious hanyou in their wake.  
  
==  
  
Inuyasha had woken up in time to catch up with Sango and Miroku. He decided not to do anything to them. Yet. They walked down the pathways relatively peacefully and without event. Inuyasha decided to take up his time by climbing trees, and hopping from branch to branch on the trees that lined the path, keeping pace with Sango and Miroku.  
The hours passed by, marked by the gradual movement of the sun. the sun was setting when they came upon a river. it was a very small river, but it was too big to be called a stream. There was no bridge of any sort, and it did not look like a very good place to ford across the river.  
"So what do we do now?" Sango said.  
"We could either a, continue traveling, and find a fording for the river, or b, set up camp right here." Miroku said.  
"Let's just keep going. You never know what you might find. Plus I really don't wanna camp here, it smells funny around here. Like dead fish." Inuyasha said.  
"Okay, he has a point. Even I can smell the dead fish." Sango said.  
"Then lets get going, we're burning daylight here." Miroku said, walking off down eastward down the river. his two companions soon followed suit.  
  
==  
  
Kagome placidly prepared and ate her meal. It mostly was instant ramen she had bought on the way to Sengoku Jidai. It was dark and cold and was glad for her cloak and fire. Soon though, she heard voices.  
"Can we make camp now?" a male voice.  
"I can still smell fish," a rough male voice said.  
"Well, I can't smell it, its good enough!" the first voice said.  
"No! I absolutely cannot! I can still smell the damn fish!" the second voice replied.  
"Augh! You are the pickiest and most stubborn person I have ever met!" the first voice cried in frustration.  
The voices were getting closer, she could hear their footsteps now. they were coming from her left, from the west. she couldn't tell if they were dangerous or not. Still, she continued eating a roll with her left hand and slowly placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.  
The voices were coming ever closer. "Well sooooreee. Geez! What's your problem?" the second voice said.  
"YOU DAMN IT!" the first screeched.  
"Shhhh," it was a third new voice. it was a female.  
"Yeah, I can see a light." The second voice said.  
"Why didn't you see it before, Inuyasha?" the first voice said.  
"I was busy telling you it smelled like fish," the second, Inuyasha, responded.  
"Will you both be quiet?" the third voice said.  
Kagome could now see the three voices out of the corner of her eye. There was a young woman with a giant boomerang strapped to her back, a monk, and a young man with white hair, gold eyes and, dog-ears?  
The monk came first, followed by the woman and then the one with white hair. Kagome stood up and took out her sword and faced the strangers. She calmly said, "What business do you have with me?"  
The monk raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "We mean you no harm." He placed his staff down, his companions followed suit. Although the one with the white hair did so a bit reluctantly. "See?" he checked if his companions had laid down their weapons as well. "We've put down our weapons, will you do the same?"  
Kagome let her guard dorp a bit and put her sword away. "Answer my first question. What business do you have with me?"  
"We are none but weary travelers, seeking for a place to rest. We merely seek to stay with you for the night. " the monk said.  
"Fine" Kagome replied, still eyeing them a bit suspiciously.  
"A hundred thousand thank you's." the monk said.  
"So do these travelers have names?" she asked them as they sat down on the opposite side of the fire from her.  
"Ah, pardon my gruffness." He said. So formal. "My name is Miroku Katsura." Pointing to the woman, "She is Sango Takasumi." Pointing to the one with white hair, "And he would be Inuyasha Ginnami." Miroku thought, 'I hope that they don't mind I made up last names.' He continued, "And what would the name of our gracious host be?"  
"Ka-" she had almost revealed to them her real name. Catching herself before doing so, she replied, "Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi Takara."  
"Hello then, Kiyoshi," Sango said. She was thinking, 'What was that she started saying? Something with a Ka at the front. Hmm... I wonder... '  
"Hello there, Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha." Kagome, now Kiyoshi responded.  
"So are you traveling anywhere specific, Kiyoshi?" Miroku asked.  
"Not really anywhere specific." She, actually now he, responded.  
"So are you a wanderer?" He shrugged. "I guess. How about you three? Anywhere specific?" "Umm..."he looked at his companions for help. They didn't have an answer for him either. He said slowly, "I guess not." "So we are a group of wanderers then," Sango said cheerily. "So would this group wanderers be willing to add another wanderer?" he asked. They were probably going to say now. The three looked at each other they all gave each other looks. They all silently talked to each other. It was strange to see them like that. But Miroku responded, disregarding the disapproving looks (actually more like glares) from Inuyasha. "We'd be glad to have you along."  
  
A/N: sixth chappie comin up! REVIEW!!! pwease? 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: i didnt get anything Inuyasha related for my birthday, so i dont have it.   
  
An Encounter With Fate  
  
Chapter 6 – And Off We Go!  
  
Last Time: "So we are a group of wanderers then," Sango said cheerily. "So would this group wanderers be willing to add another wanderer?" he asked. They were probably going to say now. The three looked at each other they all gave each other looks. They all silently talked to each other. It was strange to see them like that. But Miroku responded, disregarding the disapproving looks (actually more like glares) from Inuyasha. "We'd be glad to have you along."  
  
==  
  
"Thank you for your kindness," Kiyoshi replied. "In any case, here, eat." He handed each one a cup of cooked instant ramen with a pair of chopsticks sticking out (A/N: I use a spoon when I eat ramen, so I'm not exactly sure how they eat it... I think I'll go it ramen right now)  
"What is this stuff?" Inuyasha asked through a mouth full of noodles.  
  
"Its called ramen, Inuyasha." He replied (A/N: remember, Kagome is a 'he' for now, since he's Kiyoshi now).  
'Hmm...Ramen. I have to remember that one,' Inuyasha thought to himself, slurping some more noodles.  
The night passed without incident and soon each member of the group, one by one, had turned in for bed. Inuyasha was now sitting on a branch of the tree that Kiyoshi was leaning against. Sango and Miroku resided at opposite sides of the now dying fire, Sango on the left, Miroku on the right. But only half of them succeeded in getting to sleep.  
Inuyasha was thinking, 'I wonder where Kiyoshi got that ramen stuff. Hmm...that Kiyoshi guy seems pretty suspicious. His hair is way too well kept to be some guy's hair. Doesn't smell all that right, either. Smells down right feminine.' Inuyasha shrugged. 'Well, maybe it's not that suspicious. I mean, Sesshy looks and smells feminine too. Ah well. Whatever.' He let out a sigh, which was followed by a yawn. Soon, his eyes began to droop and left one member of the group awake.  
Kiyoshi sat, watching the last orange and red remnants of the fire die down. He was questioning the validity of his actions. 'Did I really do the right thing? Was it right that I blatantly lied to these people? After they were so nice to me, and let me join them? Am I really a wanderer? Was it really right for me to have run away from home?' he sighed, and leant his head back on the tree trunk. He watched Inuyasha up in the tree, sleeping. It was a miracle that he slept like that, not falling out or anything. He closed his eyes and let another sigh escape from him. He returned to his thoughts. 'I guess it was right for me to have run away. I mean, they had it comin' at them when they ignored me all the time.' His thoughts continued like this for a bit before he too, succumbed to sleep.  
  
==  
  
When Kiyoshi awoke the next morning, around nine or ten o'clock, everyone else was awake. They were all sitting around the fire, which had been started again. Miroku was sitting, cooking something in a pot, while Sango was doing something or other at the stream. Leaning up a bit from the tree he had been leaning on, Kiyoshi scratched his head with one hand and rubbed his eye with the other.  
Sango and Miroku saw him and stopped what they were doing to greet him. "Mornin'" "Good Morning"  
"Hn" was his reply. He stood up and plopped down in front of the fire, next to Miroku. He felt something being pushed into his hands. He opened his eyes a bit and found that it was a cup of tea. Not questioning it at all, he took a large sip. Sango, the one who had placed the cup in his hands, looked over and saw him taking a sip. She yelled while reaching her hand out, "No! You haven't put any s-" but he didn't stop.  
Kiyoshi drank the tea. He almost gagged. It was worse than anything he had ever tasted. It was strong and very, very bitter. The taste made his tongue cringe. He ran to the river and rinsed his mouth several times. Sango and Miroku laughed at him while he coughed, spit, and tried to remove the terrible taste from his mouth. He rubbed his tongue vigorously in an attempt to get the taste out of his mouth faster. He came back and sat in his spot with his tongue sticking out. "Blech!" Kiyoshi exclaimed while spitting some more on the ground. Wiping his mouth, he continued, "That stuff is terrible! What the hell is it?!"  
Sobering a bit, Miroku answered, "Its tea, duh!" as he continued cooking.  
"Well, that's the worse tea I have ever tasted in my eighteen years of life." He said, sticking his tongue out again.  
"Well, maybe you should have put some of this in first." Sango held out a bag to him. He took the bag and looked inside. It was full of sugar cubes.  
"Oh. Whoops." Taking his cup of tea, he put two sugar cubes into it. Swirling it around a bit, he took a timid little sip. It tasted a lot better. He took a larger sip before saying, "That's a helluva lot better," he took another sip.  
"Is that food done yet?" Inuyasha said while emerging from the forest.  
"Yep." He responded while pouring some of the cooked food into a bowl that was provided by Sango. He handed the bowl to Inuyasha, who immediately starting scarfing it down. Kiyoshi was next handed a bowl full of food. It was some sort of stew with some chunks of meat or fish, filled with herbs and spices. It smelled heavenly. It was then he realized how hungry he was and began scarfing it down as well, though not as fast as Inuyasha. Sango and Miroku sweatdropped while they ate their breakfast, slowly, more because they were watching Kiyoshi and Inuyasha eat. Sango thought, 'I thought Inuyasha was the only one who ate like that.' Miroku thought, 'I hope they remember to breathe.'  
When they finished breakfast, there was no stew left. Miroku looked into the pot and sweatdropped. "I guess we'll just have to hunt again later."  
"How many bowls did you guys eat?" Sango said.  
Inuyasha and Kiyoshi shrugged. They began counting on their fingers. "Around ten" Inuyasha said.  
"Haha, I ate more than you," Kiyoshi said proudly.  
"No, that was an estimate. I probably ate more than you, stick boy. How many did you eat," he responded  
"Twelve," he said proudly.  
Inuyasha's jaw dropped. He quickly regained himself by saying; "You're probably lying. A stick boy like you couldn't eat twelve bowls of stew."  
A vein popped in Kiyoshi's head. How dare he call him a liar! "I am no liar. You're just a sore loser!" he stuck out his tongue at Inuyasha.  
"No I'm not! You're a liar!" he retorted  
"No I'm not! You're a loser!" he replied.  
"Liar!"  
"Loser!"  
"Liar!"  
"Loser!"  
"Liar!"  
"Loser!"  
"LIAR!"  
"LOSER!"  
"LIAR!"  
"LOSER!"  
"LIAR!"  
"LOSER!"  
"ENOUGH!" said Sango and Miroku at once. "Lets get going already." She said. Inuyasha and Kiyoshi glared daggers at each other before Kiyoshi grabbed his bag and stalked off in the direction that Sango and Miroku had started off in. Shooting another look at Inuyasha, he stuck his nose up in the air and stomped off.  
Inuyasha shot a look that said, "You better watch out," at the back of his head, and started after them while mumbling and grumbling to himself.  
Sango and Miroku looked back at them. They were walking side by side, but they each looked anywhere but at each other. They sweatdropped and sighed as they thought, 'This is gonna be a loooong trip.'  
  
A/N: ok, i know i havent updated in forever... but thats cuz you people arent reviewing, and im reluctant to upload here with the lack of reviews. so if you want to continue, i at least want 3 reviews. please? 3 isnt that much, please??  



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